NORTHWEST COLORADO NEWS AND SPORTS FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19TH

Posted onOctober 19, 2013byKRAI|Comments Off on NORTHWEST COLORADO NEWS AND SPORTS FOR SATURDAY, OCTOBER 19TH

PARKS AND WILDLIFE FUNDS 18 WETLAND PROJECTS

Colorado Parks and Wildlife has selected 18 wetland and riparian restoration projects that will share in $700,000 in grants for the 2013 Wetlands Program grant cycle. Approved grant applications include stream bank restoration along the Carpenter Ranch section of the Yampa River, and the removal of invasive tamarisk trees on Brown’s Park National Wildlife Refuge. The selected projects encompass 1,225 acres around the state. The species that will benefit from the projects funded include eight priority waterfowl species and 15 priority non-game species. The funded projects will receive a share of $700,000 that was available this grant cycle. Funds for the Wetlands Program come from lottery-funded Great Outdoors Colorado (GOCO) and sales of the Colorado waterfowl stamp. Sixteen funding partners will contribute an additional $834,205 for these projects. Funding partners include private landowners, city, county, state and federal governments, and nonprofits such as Ducks Unlimited, The Nature Conservancy, and the Rocky Mountain Bird Observatory. The complete list of 2013 wetland and riparian restoration projects can be found by clicking here.

STEAMBOAT OPTIMIST CLUB TO HOST PUMPKIN PATCH IN STEAMBOAT TODAY

The Steamboat Optimist Club will host their 22nd annual Pumpkin Festival today at the Howelson Hill Parking Lot. Kids ages 2 to 12 will get to paint pumpkins at 10:30. Judging of those pumpkins starts at 11:45. There will be coffee and refreshments served and the event is free for the entire family. Registration starts at 10.

CNCC TO HOLD WORKSHOP ON IMMIGRANT WORKER ISSUES

The Colorado Workforce Center, in partnership with Colorado Northwestern Community College invites you to attend the second in a series of informative roundtables. Senior Special Agent Steve Turza, from Immigration & Customs Enforcement, Department of Homeland Security’s Office of Investigation in Glenwood Springs will be presenting the workshop. This formal and informative training will help people determine if applicants are authorized workers and access various tools that can be utilized by employers. This information will help deter identity theft, and help gain a greater understanding of compliance with Immigration and State & Federal Regulations. The workshop is Wednesday from 9 to 11 at CNCC in Craig.

NEXT WEEK IS TEEN DRIVER SAFETY WEEK

National Teen Driver Safety Week is October 20th through the 26th. This year’s theme is ‘It Takes Two: Shared Expectations for Teens and Parents for Driving.” The Northwest Colorado Visiting Nurse Association has put forth some tips to promote the important role parents and teens play in developing a safe skilled driver. They include the 3-second rule. Most crashes happen in about 3 seconds, which is not a lot of time to recognize and avoid a driving hazard. So if a driver is distracted by a phone or friends or is speeding, they might not have time to react. They also suggest that parents provide teens with 65+ hours of supervised driving practice. For more tips and information, click here.

SENATE CANDIDATE RECEIVES ENDORSEMENTS FROM COLLEGUES

U.S. Senate candidate Amy Stephens announced yesterday that Colorado leaders, including newly-elected state Senator George Rivera (R-Pueblo), have endorsed her campaign and will help spread her conservative message across the Centennial State. Rivera says “the recall election proved that the right Republican candidate, when coupled with Colorado’s outstanding conservative grassroots activists, can win any race.” Last month, the voters that chose to recall Democrat Senator Angela Giron voted for Senator Rivera to replace her. He became the first Republican to represent Pueblo in the Colorado Senate since 1938. Other Colorado lawmakers that have endorsed Stephens include State Representative Clarice Navarro of Pueblo, State Representative Lois Langraf of Fountain, and State Representative Polly Lawrence of Littleton. Stephens said she’s honored to have their support.

COLORADO LAWMAKERS ASK THAT MORE COUNTIES BE DESIGNATED FOR ASSISTANCE DUE TO FLOODING

The Colorado Congressional delegation yesterday urged the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) to support Governor Hickenlooper’s request to add several counties to those eligible for individual and public assistance to recover from last month’s historic floods and to extend the registration and application deadlines. The Governor also requested that the registration and application deadlines for filing for assistance be extended. The entire Congressional delegation has worked since the flooding began to ensure Colorado communities and agencies have every federal resource they need to save lives, protect homes and start the recovery process. The recent bill passed to fund the government included a provision written by members of the delegation to raise the cap on emergency highway funding available to Colorado to rebuild and repair roads and bridges battered by the floods. They also urged the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to make disaster recovery funds available.

BOULDER COUNTY D.A. TO RELEASE JONBENET DOCUMENTS

Boulder County officials who have resisted releasing documents in a 1999 indictment related to the killing of 6-year-old JonBenet Ramsey now say they’re willing to open them up. Chief Trial Deputy Sean Finn wrote yesterday that the district attorney’s office will disclose anything a judge deems appropriate. The legal response came a day after a Weld County judge ruled that releasing the indictment would not breach grand jury secrecy rules. A Boulder County grand jury voted in 1999 to indict the slain 6-year-old’s parents on charges of child abuse resulting in death. Then-DA Alex Hunter refused to sign the document and prosecute the Ramseys.

CONVICTION OVERTURNED FOR POT ACTIVIST

A Denver County judge has overturned a property destruction conviction against marijuana activist Robert Corry, citing a lack of evidence. A jury convicted Corry on Tuesday. He was arrested in June and charged with smashing the window of a recreational vehicle. The vehicle’s owner testified he didn’t see the incident and thought it was an accident. Judge Raymond Satter overturned the verdict. The 46-year-old Corry has protested a ballot measure to tax recreational marijuana when it becomes legal next year. Corry returns to court later this month. He’s charged with publicly consuming pot at Coors Field in September.